Roundup: Rory's Trial-Induced Sabbatical

Brian Keogh files his usual smart take on the dynamics involved in Rory McIlroy's two week leave from events in China the World No. 1 had committed to, and notes that by citing the trial preparation, McIlroy buys a way out of the early Race To Dubai events without disqualifying himself from the finale.

Keogh writes:

McIlroy has such a massive lead —  he's €3.1m clear of second placed Sergio Garcia — that if it weren't for the small print,. he could probably afford to miss Dubai too and win his second European money title.

Even if he has to take that week off to better prepare himself for the trial, O'Grady has the power to grant him a  waiiver for a "Mitigating Circumstance” (injury, serious disability or acceptable personal emergency).

Whether a March court battle could be considered an acceptable personal emergency is a matter of opinion. But it's certainly not good news.

Given how well-controlled his every move has been this year, it's hard to see how he could not have seen this coming.

Ewan Murray is having a hard time seeing how McIlroy's early 2015 schedule is not thrown into chaos heading toward Augusta.

Now there is uncertainty over what the upcoming months will entail. McIlroy would routinely play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to start the new year before crossing the Atlantic to appear at the Honda Classic. With a trial looming in February, or at the latest early March, his schedule cannot be mapped out with any great certainty. This would not be welcome in any year but with the opportunity to secure a grand slam of major titles at Augusta National in April at the summit of his priority list, there is added cause for anxiety.

Kevin Garside suggests it’s cynical to think McIlroy is using the trial as an opportunity to not unpack his smog mask and stay home.

It is hard to imagine how anyone is well served by this, least of all a man who could, in abstract terms, settle the commissions owed without batting an eyelid. McIlroy obviously has his reasons, the validity of which will be decided by a judge who has already warned of the toxic nature of the revelations he knows are coming.

James Corrigan practically weeps for the plight of the lad who he says doesn't have "a bad bone in his body," even though it’s the lad who goes through agents at a blistering pace, dumped Caroline Wozniacki in less-than-classy fashion and filed the lawsuit that is causing all of this consternation.

He is a decent bloke who, as far as I can tell, does not have a bad bone in his body. The setting will not only be alien to the man, but alien to his reputation. McIlroy should be bouncing down a fairway, not humbly mounting the steps to swear his testimony.

We can only pray that a late deal is struck and McIlroy, and, indeed, golf, does not have to go through this humiliating experience. Details will emerge, his riches will be raked over and the full scale of what many will consider to be the obscene economy of professional golf will become apparent.

Did I mention that McIlroy filed the first lawsuit and there are suggestions the timing was orchestrated to put a damper on Graeme McDowell's wedding? There is no tear to be shed for McIlroy in this instance and a case could be made that whatever damage is done to his game or reputation is entirely self-inflicted.